Source: Team_Talk
Dowie: Future is out of my hands
Hull manager Iain Dowie was coy about his future after the 1-0 defeat by Sunderland effectively relegated the Tigers from the Premier League.[LNB] Darren Bent's seventh-minute goal at the KC Stadium on Saturday, coupled with West Ham's 3-2 victory over Wigan, left Hull six points adrift of safety with two games left and with a vastly inferior goal difference.[LNB]Dowie was brought in last month following Phil Brown's sacking with the task of keeping the Tigers up, and he paid tribute to the fans as he revealed his sadness at the club's plight.[LNB]He said: "I'm bitterly disappointed. It's a dark dressing room in there. It's very disappointing for a great region.[LNB]"The fans were absolutely sensational. They have come in great numbers and supported us magnificently in difficult times and we apologise to them.[LNB]"You're not going to right a thousand wrongs in a short period of time. I came here knowing exactly what was going on and in the end we weren't quite good enough to stay up."[LNB]Dowie was only given a contract until the end of the season and he insisted it is up to chairman Adam Pearson and owner Russell Bartlett whether he stays at the KC Stadium.[LNB]"It's not a decision for me," he continued. "I've never walked away from a challenge in my life. It is a huge challenge here but it's one the powers that be will have a decision to make.[LNB]"I know what I do every day in work, I know the way in which I train, I know my CV stands up to scrutiny in terms of play-offs and what I've done with different clubs."[LNB]Another woeful start was not what Hull's situation called for and they could have been behind before Bent got on the end of Kenwyne Jones' header to put Sunderland in front seven minutes in.[LNB]Gradually the hosts responded and they were unlucky when Anthony Gardner's header from point-blank range hit Craig Gordon in the chest.[LNB]But Hull only had themselves to blame for not drawing level four minutes before half-time. A clear foul by Hull old boy Michael Turner on Geovanni brought a penalty but Jimmy Bullard did not strike the ball cleanly and it bounced away off Gordon's post.[LNB]Both sides then found themselves down to 10 men after an ugly incident in first-half stoppage time when Jozy Altidore and Alan Hutton tangled on the touchline. Hutton reacted foolishly to what he felt was a bad challenge by throwing the ball at his opponent, provoking Altidore into a headbutt in response.[LNB]The second half was a damp squib compared to the first and Hull rarely looked like finding the goal that would have at least kept their hopes alive for another week.[LNB]Sunderland boss Steve Bruce was incensed by Altidore's actions and accused the United States striker of committing "GBH".[LNB]He said: "We all do things in the heat of the moment on a football pitch. Alan Hutton was arguably a bit silly to have thrown the ball at his back but it's not going to do any real damage to him.[LNB]"The incident after that is totally ridiculous. Hutton's got a cut eye, a smashed nose and a chipped tooth so he's close to having really serious facial injuries.[LNB]"That for me doesn't warrant the same punishment but the letter of the law is if you throw the ball I do believe it's a red card.[LNB]"It's GBH, not a sending-off. I like Altidore but you don't want to see that."[LNB]Bruce came onto the pitch following the incident and was then sent to the stands towards the end of the game.[LNB]"I apologise to the fourth official," he added. "I was outside my technical area a few times but, in the grand scheme of things, does it make that much difference that you step out by half a yard?"[LNB]Dowie did not mince his words regarding Altidore's challenge, saying: "Jozy reacted stupidly. I'm not going to defend my player. He'll be disciplined because of it. It's not acceptable. In a big, big game, he's let his team-mates down."[LNB]The former Crystal Palace and Coventry boss was again left cursing Hull's failure to put the ball in the net as he reflected on a fifth defeat from nine games.[LNB]He added: "We gave away a sloppy goal but the response was decent and the second half we were very much in the game, we just couldn't quite work the keeper enough.[LNB]"Moments change games. If we get the equaliser from the penalty then who knows? But that's what happens when you haven't got enough quality in forward areas."
